IBPS PO – English Language
Topic: Error Spotting
Purpose:
In the IBPS PO exam, the Error Spotting section tests your ability to identify grammatical, syntactical, and lexical mistakes in a given passage or sentence.
1. Simple Explanation
| What is it? | How it appears on the paper? |
|---|---|
| Error spotting | A sentence or a short passage is given. You must spot the mistake(s) and mark the correct option. |
| Goal | Detect the exact error: grammar, punctuation, style, or vocabulary misuse. |
| Typical format | 1‑4 multiple‑choice questions (MCQs) with a single correct answer. |
2. Key Points to Remember
| Category | Typical Error | Quick Check |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar | • Subject‑verb agreement • Tense consistency • Pronoun‑antecedent agreement |
1. Identify the subject. 2. Ensure verb matches in number and tense. |
| Vocabulary | • Wrong word choice (e.g., “He is good at maths” vs. *“He is good at maths”) • Homonyms (e.g., their/there/they’re) |
1. Consider the context. 2. Check the meaning of each candidate word. |
| Punctuation | • Missing commas, semicolons, or colons • Misplaced apostrophes |
1. Read aloud; commas often separate clauses. |
| Sentence Structure | • Run‑on sentences • Fragmented clauses • Parallelism |
1. Does the sentence have a clear subject & predicate? |
| Spelling | • Common misspellings (e.g., seperate → separate) | 1. Spell‑check mentally; note typical “trap” words. |
| Idiomatic Expressions | • Wrong idiom (e.g., “break a leg” vs. “break a leg” – actually correct, but misuse is common) | 1. Recall the idiom’s meaning. |
| Word Order | • Misplaced modifiers | 1. Ensure modifiers are adjacent to the word they describe. |
3. Worked Example
Passage (with an error):
“The committee will discuss the new policy and the members will give their feedback after the meeting.”
Options
| Option | Sentence | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| A | The members will give their feedback after the meeting. | Correct |
| B | The members will give their feedback after the meeting. | Wrong (duplicate) |
| C | The members will give their feedback after the meeting. | Wrong (duplicate) |
| D | The members will give their feedback after the meeting. | Wrong (duplicate) |
Analysis
The error is subject‑verb agreement:
- “The committee” (singular) is the subject of the first clause.
- “the members” is a separate clause; the verb “will give” matches members (plural).
The mistake is a word choice: the word “the members” is incorrectly used in the context. The correct phrase should be “the members will give their feedback” – but the error lies in the overall structure.
Corrected Passage
“The committee will discuss the new policy, and the members will give their feedback after the meeting.”
4. Quick Revision Summary
| Check‑list | Do you? |
|---|---|
| Subject–verb agreement | ✔️ |
| Tense consistency | ✔️ |
| Pronoun‑antecedent agreement | ✔️ |
| Word choice (homonyms, idioms) | ✔️ |
| Punctuation (commas, semicolons) | ✔️ |
| Sentence structure (no run‑on, no fragments) | ✔️ |
| Spelling of common traps | ✔️ |
| Parallelism and word order | ✔️ |
Quick Tips
- Read aloud – pauses often indicate missing commas.
- Highlight the subject – then find the verb; if the numbers don’t match, there’s an error.
- Check every pronoun – does it refer to a singular or plural noun?
- Identify the clause type – simple, compound, complex; ensure proper connectors.
- Look for “trap words” – affect/ effect, accept/ except, its/ it's, your/ you're, etc.
Practice Question (for you)
“She has been studying for the exam, but she has not completed all the assignments.”
Which of the following is the correct sentence?
| Option | Sentence | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| A | She has been studying for the exam, but she has not completed all the assignments. | Correct |
| B | She has been studying for the exam, but she hasn't completed all the assignments. | Correct |
| C | She has been studying for the exam, but she hasn't completed all the assignments. | Correct |
| D | She has been studying for the exam, but she has not completed all the assignments. | Correct |
Answer: All options are correct; the error is non‑existent.
Use this exercise to practice spotting subtle errors or confirming when a sentence is already correct.
Good luck with your IBPS PO preparation!